Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended a memorial service

On August 15, 2019, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended a memorial service marking the 74th anniversary of Japan's surrender in WWII held at the Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo. Emperor Naruhito expressed "deep remorse" over Japan’s role in World War II in his first appearance at the annual ceremony marking the end of the hostilities. Japan's former emperor Hirohito announced the surrender of Japan on Aug. 15, 1945 following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9.

14 comments:

I know that it is a sombre occasion, but I must say how lovely the floral background to the memorial is, and what a lovely outfit Empress Masako is wearing, perfect in style and colour for the occasion.Anon 9:13

Chrysanthemum flowers are a symbol of the Emperor family. Japanese people love it as a symbol of nobility and peace at the same time. A chrysanthemum crest is also drawn on the cover of a Japanese passport.

Thank you so much for this important post. Only now am I learning that this ceremony was established in 2015 by Emperor Akihito to formally express contrition on behalf of the nation. How extraordinary. How admirable.

I love the way Empress Masako dresses -- having observed her style on numerous occasions. Although not trendy (and that's a good part), she is still contemporary with classic, clean, elegant lines perfectly tailored and always appropriate to the occasion and her position.

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